Red Owl said:
I'm new as well. Those #5 spinners seem really big, I was thinking #3 would be about right. If you had to pick say 4-5 color patterns for summer steelhead, either spinner or spoon, what would make the list?
How do most of you fish spinners? If the current is strong I've just kept a tight line and let the current door swing them along, the current spins the blade, and I try to arrange things so the spinner swings in front of a rock, etc. On spoons I usually twitch them as I retrieve.
Treble or single hooks? Any dressing on hooks or just a bare hook? What color hooks?
I tied the line straight to the lure. Any variations on that?
I assumed that he was asking about Winter Steelhead fishing, since we are now into that season. With high water flows, you want larger OFFerings. Like sizes 4, 5, and even 6 in larger rivers. Size 3, or smaller, for winter conditions won't get your lures down into the strike zone.
Summer Steelhead fishing, is a different bailiwick. Size 3 is the largest that I use. But when water is low, and gin-clear, then size 1's are in order. Some fisherpeeps even use size zero.
Single hooks are always best--to help reduce fish mortality in those which need to be released. No "dressing" is added. Although you certainly could. And bronze in color.
Only rarely do I tie line, or leader, directly to a spinner or spoon. Instead I use snap swivels for fast changes, to different lures.
Get yourself a copy of this book, and you'll get up to speed super fast. It's our Bible of Spinner fishing, here in the PNW! And take a look at the color variations, which Jed has used (from his first Edition). The top six are essentially for summer, and the bottom ones for winter.